You Must Love Me
by Forgelove
Summary: Woody is getting older now what does that mean for his future? (complete)
1. Chapter 1

**You Must Love Me**

**This is a new area for me to write in but I have to say I am really enjoying it. I have Hanna Largo to thank for getting me to write this! I would really appreciate it if you would leave your thoughts on this because I am new to this and could use all the feedback I can get! Oh and virtual cookies for anyone that can guess the musical the story title is from!**

**Disclaimer**

**Sadly it all belongs to the big mouse not me**

Being in Bonnie's room was nice. It wasn't the same as Andy's room but it wasn't Sunnyside, that was an upside and that was what he always tried to stress to the other toys the importance of looking on the bright side. He smiled slightly as he remembered Hamm's comment as he repeated his mantra at a weekly meeting. "Bright side? The last time we tried to do that we went to the name of bright you know Sunnyside. We all know how that ended!"

Funny how clearly he could remember that like it had been yesterday. It was amazing how fast time went by. It had been like that when he was in Andy's room as well he supposed that was a good sign.

"You okay there Cowboy?" a voice asked pulling him out of his thoughts.

"Yeah, yeah I'm fine Buzz why?" he asked frowning slightly when he saw his severely worried face.

"Nothing...nothing no reason just eh...it is good to see you awake that's all," he said. Buzz had always been a terrible liar.

"Woody! Your awake! Oh thank goodness we have been so worried! Hey everybody look he's awake he's alright!" Rex yelled scrambling over to Woody trapping him in as tight a hug as his small arms could manage.

"Alright everyone that's enough! Lets give Woody some space!" Buzz said firmly. The toys all seemed to pause a moment considering his words before conceding.

"Buzz what is going on here?" Woody asked sitting up ignoring the exhaustion that this simple action seemed to cause.

"We've been worried about you partner..." Buzz said nervously.

"Would you just tell me what is going on!" Woody demanded reaching the end of his tether. He also was starting to feel a little scared. Buzz and the other guys reaction was starting to put him ill at ease. He tried to tell himself they were just overreacting like they did at every little thing like birthdays and Christmas. He silently told himself that was all this was and by responding to their fear like this he was no better than they were! You are better than that Sherif! He silently scolded himself.

"Right, right of course sorry," Buzz muttered.

"Any time today Buzz," Woody said tersely as the silence dragged on.

"You eh...well you have been out of action a few days sure it's nothing to worry about you are awake now everything's fine. I'm sure it's nothing to worry about," Buzz said .

"What are you talking about? What do you mean out of action?" he demanded. "Just give me a straight answer. Buzz tell me exactly what you are talking about." he said before he had the chance to go off on another tangent or give a long explanation that gave no information at all.

Buzz sighed again as he seemed to realise he had no choice but to answer his question.

"Do you remember our last playtime with Bonnie?" Buzz asked.

"Yeah course I do. We had to save the world from Doctor Ken and the Evil Doctor Porkchop with the help of our dinosaur," Woody responded still not getting here he was going with this.

"Buzz," he said in a warning tone.

"I'm getting there partner," Buzz said. He sighed again before continuing. "When Bonnie went to bed Slink and I came to talk to you but you were really quiet. We kept trying to get your attention but you gave us nothing. We didn't know what to do,"

"What about Bonnie? Why is the room light? Where is Bonnie. Buzz give me answers and give me them now!" he said fear leaking into his voice.

"I am, just calm down Woody," Buzz cautioned

Woody sighed forcing himself to sit back down so Buzz would continue.

"You know we are getting older now. We are not as fancy and eh...not in as good condition as some of the newer toys right?" Buzz said.

"I know that but that doesn't matter we are still good toys!" Woody protested moving his arm to pull his drawstring speaker.

"Woody wait just let me..." Buzz moved closer to Woody.

"My...my why doesn't it work? Why is nothing happening?" he asked urgently as he tried again to pull the string but was met with nothing but silence.

"It stopped working a few days ago. During that playtime Bonnie pulled it but it didn't work," he said carefully. He was trying not to look at the limp appearance Woody had now as a lot of his stuffing was missing and his clothes were starting to get a little ragged as the seems had been starting to fray.

Buzz forced himself to remain calm but he couldn't help but remember what Andy's mum had said to him when Woody's arm had ripped years ago.

"_Toys don't last forever."_

"Does Bonnie know? Of course Bonnie knows how can she not know? What has been happening the last few days? Has Bonnie been able to play with me?" he asked urgently. That afterall was the job of a toy being there for a child.

"Yes, she has but you still weren't you. We could tell you had no idea what was going on. Bonnie seemed to know something was wrong she has been very careful with you lately. It was her that put you under that blanket not us. You eh actually have been the inspiration for a new game," he said.

"What's that?" Woody asked.

"Toy Hospital. You are the main patient and Jessie is the doctor," he said with a slight smile.

"What are you?" Woody asked matching his smile.

"Your nurse," he said scowling at Woody as he laughed heartily at this. He would have protested more at this but it was too much of a relief to see him awake and coherent.

"What's going to happen to me Buzz? My pull string isn't working, I'm a broken toy! Am I going to be shelved...or worse?" he asked in horror.

"What kind of question is that Cowboy? Did you not listen to a word I just said? Do those sound like the actions of a child that is going to put you on a shelf?" Buzz demanded.

Woody wasn't sure what to say. He knew Buzz was right but he also knew that he was getting past his best. He had tried to ignore it but recently it was becoming more and more obvious. He couldn't bring himself to admit what this could finally mean for him. He was a toy he had to keep doing what toys did until...well he didn't want to think about that not just yet. There was still a job for him and at the moment that was good enough for him.

He just had time to convince the other toys in the room that he was fine. He said that he was just over tired there was nothing to worry about. He tried not to think about how long that would be true for. He had to stop thinking this way.

A voice broke through Woody's thoughts. "Places everybody Bonnie's coming!" Right now it was time to do his job as a toy.

"Good to have you back Cowboy," Buzz said before hopping down to get back to his place.

"Thanks Buzz," he said before moving back into his position.

An unspoken understanding seemed to pass between them that everything wasn't as alright as they were making it out to be.

Bonnie came into the room and headed over to Woody she lifted him carefully from the blanket and took him downstairs.

When the door shut behind her Rex and the other toys gathered round Buzz.

"What's going on?"

"You said he was fine"

"We don't know that everything isn't fine," Buzz protested trying to keep the worry out his voice. He along with the other toys in the room had seen the worried way Bonnie carried Woody from the room.

"Don't treat us like idiots.," Hamm snapped.

Buzz sighed. "We just need to wait and see. Far as we know Woody is alright there is no point worrying before we know more."

Buzz sighed as they continued to worry and fire questions at him. Woody was the only one who could keep everyone calm. He had no idea how they could cope without him. He froze when he realised what he was thinking. He had to stop thinking this way right now!

0000

"Mummy?" Bonnie asked walking into the room cradling Woody.

"Yes darling?" her mother asked looking up from her book.

Bonnie walked tearfully into the room. She had been dreading this, she didn't want her toy to be broken. Everyday she thought it might not be that bad but it was getting worse.

"Bonnie darling what is it? What's wrong?" her mother asked alarmed as she registered her daughter's face.

"Look at Woody mummy," Bonnie whispered tearfully. She sat beside her mother and carefully took the blankets off Woody so her mother could see him.

Her mother moved closer to examine the doll in her daughter's arms. She regarded the old Cowboy doll she had been given years ago. She sighed slightly the doll was getting very old now. She wasn't sure there was much they could really do to repair it.

"He needs sewing mummy and he doesn't talk anymore," she said tearfully,

Her mother sighed as she looked at the doll. He was missing a lot of his stuffing and his seams were frayed ...the doll was old.

Her mother looked up at Bonnie's face and sighed. "Sweetheart he's an old toy.." she began.

"We can fix him can't we mummy?" Bobbie asked hopefully.

"I don't know that we can darling," her mum said gently to her.

Tears filled Bonnie's eyes as she held Woody tighter to her. "I don't want to say goodbye to him," she whispered tears running down her cheeks.

"I know darling but sometimes it's for the best," her mother said gently.

Buzz stood frozen in his hiding place in the plant at the top of the stairs. He had gone out to listen to what was going on downstairs. He'd hoped he could report back and put their minds at ease. How was he meant to tell them this.

He ran back in just in time to warn them that Bonnie was coming and to get back to his position

Bonnie sat on her bed cuddling Woody with tears streaming down her face. Buzz watched from his place by the window. One look at Woody told him he was all too aware of what was going on and what this could mean for him.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

**There is only one more chapter left after this one. I am really enjoying writing this but I would really appreciate it if you would review to let me know your thoughts on this or even just to let me know you are reading this so please review! Oh and the name of this story came from the musical Evita. I felt the words really fit what this story is about.**

**Disclaimer**

**It still all belongs to the mouse but I have a Woody doll of my own that I do own!**

Bonnie sat cradling Woody in her arms for hours until her mum called up to tell her to get ready for her bath. She got up carefully placing Woody under the blanket and tucking him in. "Oh I almost forgot," she said as she picked up Jessie and Buzz. "You need your nurse and your doctor to take care of you while I'm gone.," she kissed Woody's head and headed to the bathroom where her mum was waiting.

Once Bonnie was out the room the toys surfaced but a thick atmosphere hung in the room. The silence was deafening but none of them seemed to know what to say. What was there to say?

"I take it from the silence that you all heard," Woody said at last.

"What's happening Woody what does it all mean?" Rex asked urgently.

"She's not doing anything to Woody!" Mr Potato Head said firmly.

"Guys enough! Lets just all calm down," Buzz suggested he could see this was the last thing Woody needed right now.

Jessie was quietly trying not to cry she wasn't being fair while Bullseye nudged Woody's hand with his head. Woody gently stroked Bullseye's head then looked at Jessie. "Don't cry it's not that bad," Woody tried to comfort her but inside he was terrified, he knew what this meant for him

He was relieved to hear Bonnie coming back into the room he needed time to think about this. Bonnie climbed into bed carefully so not to disturb Woody. She was still trying to tell herself if she took really good care of him he would be okay.

Woody didn't think that he would sleep at all that night but as the light in the room went out he suddenly felt over whelmed with exhaustion he felt himself falling asleep. When Buzz and Jessie noticed this they jumped down from the bed and called an emergency toy meeting.

"We've got to be quiet we don't want to wake up Woody!" Buzz warned though his eyes seemed to flit mainly to Rex as he said this.

"What is going on with Woody?" Dolly asked carefully.

"Yeah this looks like it's getting serious and I don't like it!" Mr Potato Head said.

"He'll be alright wont he. I mean this is Woody we are talking about He is always alright," Slinky said trying to sound more confident than he felt.

"I'm not so sure this time guys," Jessie said at last. They had to face what was happening.

"What do you mean?"

"What's going on?"

Various questions like these were voiced by the various toys at such a speed it was hard to tell who said what.

"Tell them the full story Buzz," Jessie said quietly as she stroked behind Bullseye's ears trying to calm him down.

Buzz explained again what he had heard while hiding at the top of the stairs. "We know that already would you hurry up and get to the point!" Hamm snapped.

"Yeah hurry it along!" Mr Potato Head said.

"I was telling you if you had let me finish. I think Bonnie's mum is thinking about throwing Woody away," he made himself say.

"What she can't do that! Bonnie loves Woody just look at how she takes care of him and plays with him!" Slinky argued.

"Yeah I think old Buzz is loosin' his marbles," Hamm said firmly.

"How could you say such a thing Buzz?" Rex wailed hysterically until he was hit on the back of the head by Mrs Potato Head."Would you keep your voice down," she hissed.

"I know toys can get thrown out when they are not played with but it's not the only time. Toys get thrown out when they are too old and stop working properly. It's what's best for the toy," Buzz said quietly.

"How is it for the best?" Buttercup asked.

"We know Woody hasn't been himself for a long time. He is getting older and it is getting harder and more painful for him to do the job required of him as a toy," Buzz said quietly.

"That doesn't mean he needs to be thrown out! Bonnie would never want that!" Trixie argued.

"She's not happy right now," Buzz pointed out quietly. None of the toys said anything they knew he was right.

"Isn't there something Bonnie's mum could do to fix him. I know she said there wasn't but there must be something," Jessie said at last voicing the tiny bit of hope she'd been holding on to.

"I don't think so. She knows how much Bonnie loves Woody. If there was something she could do she would have done it," Buzz said quietly.

"When?" Jessie asked quietly.

"I don't know but I imagine soon She wont want Bonnie hanging on to him too long it will only make it harder on her," he said quietly.

"What do we do till then?" Jessie asked carefully.

"We do what Woody always does for us. We are there for him. He's our friend nothing changes that!" Buzz said firmly.

"Does Woody know?" Slinky asked after a moment.

"Yes he does and he needs our support. He needs us to be his friends to help him through this like he would help any of us," Buzz said. He wasn't used to being the one to give advice that was Woody's job. He couldn't stand the thought of the room without him!

0000

"Mummy there has to be something we can do to help Woody," Bonnie said as she pushed her cereal round the bowl.

"No darling," she said gently.

"Then what do we do?" she asked her lower lip trembling.

Her mother sighed and sat down beside her daughter as she tried to think how to word this for her. The words throw him in the bin seemed too crass she knew how much Bonnie loved and cared for her toys. She also knew that she had to throw the Cowboy doll out it was falling to pieces.

"Sometimes when a toy gets very old we have to..." she trailed off this was the bit she didn't know how to word.

"Have to what?" Bonnie asked carefully.

"It needs to go away somewhere so he can be taken care of," she said not sure how much weight this carried but she knew that Bonnie saw her toys as being alive. She was still young so it seemed needlessly cruel to tell her she was going to throw Woody out.

"Why can't we take care of him. I have been taking care of him. I can take better care of him," she said tearfully.

"I know you have darling but there really is nothing else we can do. It is what is best for Woody. I am sorry darling," she said gently.

"Can we say bye to him first?" she whispered.

"Of course," she said softly before telling her to finish her breakfast.

"Mummy...we need to tell Andy he'll want to say goodbye," Bonnie said seriously.

"Oh darling I'm not sure Andy is busy darling it's alright he will understand," she assured her.

"Mummy no we need to tell him please mummy he'll want to know," Bonnie insisted.

Her mother sighed but agreed that she would tell Andy. He was going to think she was crazy when she phoned to tell him that she was going to throw out his old cowboy doll. He had most likely forgotten all about the toys he's given her daughter. He wasn't going to care when she phoned to tell him she was going to throw Woody out. Why would he afterall he'd outgrown his toys.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

**This is the last chapter I really enjoyed writing this! Thank you for your reviews I would really appreciate it if you keep them coming I really like to know if you are reading this and what you think!**

**Disclaimer**

**Nothing is mine apart from my own Woody doll.**

Bonnie's mum maid to pick up the phone again but drew her hand back. She couldn't do this Andy was going to think she was crazy! Each time she strengthened her resolve not to do this her daughter's face swam before her eyes. She had to do this, she had to swallow her pride and the more she thought about this her dignity and make the call.

"Are you going to call him mummy?" Bonnie asked as she walked into the room.

She suppressed a sigh then nodded. "Yes I am about to do it just now but only if you go upstairs right now and get ready," she said shooing her daughter up the stairs.

"Okay," Bonnie said quietly as she headed upstairs. She dressed quickly before sitting on the bed again next to Woody."Hey Woody, I know you're not feeling too good but I've something that might help you feel better. Andy is going to come and see you to...to say..." she couldn't finish as her eyes filled with tears.

"Come on honey it's time to go," Bonnie's mum said gently.

"Did you call Andy?" she asked quietly.

"Yes I did," she said.

"What did he say? Is he coming?" she asked urgently

"Yes he is," she said. She had phoned Andy's mum in the end who told her Andy was coming home for the weekend and was certain he would want to come.

"When?" Bonnie forced herself to ask.

Her mother was a little concerned about how hard Bonnie was taking the upcoming loss of the cowboy doll. She tried not to worry about it too much that it was most likely just a phase and the best thing to do would be to let her work through it.

"He said he'd be here on Friday," she answered.

"So that's...two days right?" she asked after counting the days out on her fingers.

"Yes, two days, now come on we have to go or we will be late for daycare," she said leading her daughter from the room.

Woody couldn't believe it. Andy was coming He was really coming! He was going to get to see Andy again! He knew it wasn't going to be like before because Andy was grown up but it didn't matter. What mattered was that Andy was going to see him and the guys again.

"Guys! Guys! Did you hear that? Andy's coming!" He moved from the bed to see his friend. He hardly even noticed that it took him longer to do this now his mind was consumed with the fact that he was going to see Andy again.

"Easy there partner," Buzz said quietly as he helped him down.

"Guys come on! Did you not hear what Bonnie's mum said?" She said tha..." he trailed off as he looked at their faces. It crashed back with terrifying clarity why Andy was coming back and what was about to happen to him. He understood why it was happening but it didn't make it any less scary.

0000

_Andy groaned as the shrill ringing of the phone woke him. "Hello?" he mumbled his brain still thick with sleep._

"_Hello Andy dear I'm sorry to call so early," his mum said._

"_No it's okay what is it, is everything okay?" he asked worry leaking into his voice his tiredness forgotten. His mother never called this early something had to be wrong._

"_Andy calm down nothing is wrong," she said._

"_Then what is it? You never call at this time," he pointed out._

"_This is going to sound a little strange but just hear my out alright," his mum said._

"_Okay, what is it?" he asked not sure where she was going with this._

"_Bonnie's mum called me this morning, you know the little girl you gave some of your toys to," she began._

"_Yeah, what has this got to do with me though?" he asked through a yawn. His tiredness had more than returned he had no idea why his mum was phoning him to tell him this._

"_Bonnie is pretty upset because, because her mum has to throw Woody out as he is getting older now," she said._

"_What why has she got to throw him out? I mean so what if he is older that's no reason to throw him out!" Andy argued._

"_Andy Woody is an old toy now. Bonnie wants you to come say goodbye to him. I know it seems a little silly but she is pretty upset and you know how you used to be with your toys . I said you would pop in on Friday seeing as you are coming home this weekend anyway," she said._

"_Yeah...yeah tell her I'll be there," he said._

"_Thanks Andy alright see you Friday sweetie, love you," his mum said._

"_See you Friday, love you. Bye mum," he said._

"_Love you too. See you Friday bye," she said hanging up the phone._

_Andy knew his mum only thought he was going as a favour to her but it was more than that. Woody had been a part of his life for many years. He couldn't believe this was happening. Even now he still felt an attachment to Woody he knew he had to go say goodbye to him. He couldn't shake the sadness this news about Woody made him feel. _

_0000_

Why is it when you are dreading something time always seems to go faster? That was the unanswered question that currently filled Bonnie's room. The toys were dreading Friday and wanted to make the time they had left with Woody count. They tried to tell themselves it was still a bit away but time seemed to speed up at a terrifying pace.

On Friday morning none of them seemed to know whatto say to Woody. Bonnie had sat on her bed holding him in her arms for a long time that morning. "I'm so sorry Woody, I love you," she whispered hugging him tightly before she eventually had to go.

Buzz sat next to Woody. "I'm going to miss you cowboy. Even if we didn't have the best start I have to admit I don't know what I'm going to do without you. You're my best friend," he said as he hugged Woody. "I eh...I'm not very good at this I just want you to know that I'm really going to miss you and I want to thank you for everything you've done for me," he said as he hugged him again. He needed a bit of time with Woody on his own he was his best friend it was hard to believe they would become such close friends considering how they were when they met but now Buzz could hardly stand to think about his life without him.

"I'm going to miss you too you're my best friend too, even if I did try to throw you out a window," he said quietly.

"Takes more than that to stop Buzz Lightyear," he said with a weak laugh which Woody returned.

"I'm scared Buzz..." Woody said very quietly.

The words pained Buzz. It was frightening to see Woody this weak and scared. He had been getting weaker for some time now but to know what it had come to was scary. There wasn't anything he could say to him. "I know," he said quietly back to him. He sat with him for as long as he needed. He knew right now it wasn't words that were needed it was simply knowing that he was there with him.

"I'm real sorry Woody," Slink said resting his head against his shoulder. He was really going to miss him he hated that there wasn't more they could do. "You know we aint ever going to forget you Woody!" Slinky said.

"I know Slink, you've been a good pal," Woody said quietly as he scratched the dogs ears.

"You too Woody!" Slinky whispered.

Throughout the course of the day the rest of the toys came to try and offer their support to Woody and to say their goodbyes. In the end Woody was surrounded with the toys from Andy's room. There wasn't anything to say.

"Bonnie...and yes...Andy are coming!" Dolly said gently forcing the toys to separate and Buzz helped Woody back to his spot and gave him a final hug. "Bye cowboy, it will be okay, Andy wouldn't let it be anything else" he whispered.

"Bye Buzz," Woody whispered back.

Andy followed Bonnie into her room he could see all his old toys scattered round the room but he gravitated towards Woody. It startled him to see how worn and old Woody looked. He sat beside him and picked him up. "Hey partner," he said quietly to him.

"Would you like some time alone with him?" Bonnie asked. She had already said her goodbyes to Woody that morning she had a feeling Andy would like some time now to do the same.

He was about to tell her it was okay but as he glanced down at his old toy in his hand he found himself nodding. He waited until Bonnie was out the room before he started talking. He knew he should probably be feeling stupid at doing this but he didn't it felt like something that he had to do.

"Hey Woody...howdy cowboy, hey partner," he whispered to his old doll he hugged him. Even now he still felt a real connection with Woody. Giving Woody to Bonnie was one of the hardest things he'd ever had to do but he'd known it was for the best so he could be played with. Something told him that was what a toy wanted and it wouldn't be right to keep them on a shelf gathering dust.

"I never wanted to give any of you. It was really hard but you were the hardest to give away

Woody " he whispered to him.

Woody longed to answer him it felt nice to be held again by Andy. He understood why this was happening to him but it didn't make the deep rooted fear in him ease.

"You were my best friend for years Woody we had so many adventures together," he said as he sat with him and recounted many of the adventures they had shared. Woody worked hard not to let his smile show he felt comforted by this if this was how it had to end for him maybe it wasn't too bad. He knew he had made Andy happy and he had made Bonnie happy he had fulfilled his duty. He was getting old now and tired now he knew deep down that it was time for him to move on.

"Bye Woody I'm going to miss you," he said as he hugged the cowboy doll close to him he shut his eyes against the tears. "Thanks for everything Woody," he whispered.

Andy stood up and placed Woody back on the bed he could have sworn he heard Woody say "You're welcome."


End file.
